It should have been you
by Redd Vixen
Summary: The events of one night alter the course of one superstars life forever. Heartbreak, betrayal, superstardom and true love all play a factor. Jericho fic. Please R&R!
1. It still hurts

**I do not own any of the following characters.**  
  
Author's note: This is my first fanfic. I've never posted on this site before, so any suggestions would be helpful. Please Read & Review! Enjoy!  
  
  
It had been several months since they had spoken to each other. He missed her of course, but was still very bitter. Why had she done this to him? Wrestling was his life, she knew that when they got married. Hell, he wanted her to go with him on the road more often than she did, but she didn't like traveling that much. He understood that and tried to come home to her as often as he could. If she wasn't happy why did she act like she did? They had more than the average couple, but they weren't rich. It's not like she had married him for his money. Guilt riddled through his stomach. "You knew she couldn't be away from you so much," he thought to himself and sighed aloud. He continued to sit on the lounge chair with his feet resting on a cocktail table. It was dark now and only the light from the underwater pool lights reflected on his face. He heard the phone ringing inside the house but didn't feel like talking to anyone. He hadn't wanted to talk to anyone much lately. "Ahh!" he sighed as the phone rang a fourth time. He bolted upright from the chair and stomped his way into the kitchen.   
  
"Hullo" he mumbled.  
  
"Hey, Chris man, how are you?" It was Adam.  
  
"Just hanging around, what are you up to?"   
  
"Well," Adam said nonchalantly, "I was wondering if you wanted to come over and have a few beers? Allie went away for a few days and I'm bored over here."  
  
"Sure, I'll be there in a little while." Chris stood next to the phone and thought about Adam. Chris smiled to himself as he remembered meeting "Edge" for the first time. Chris had been introduced to him while Chris was training with Mick and Dwayne after signing with the company.   
  
After changing out of his swim trunks, Chris stared at himself in the mirror. Man, you look so tired he thought. He slicked his hair into a neat ponytail and headed downstairs. He picked up his car keys from the kitchen counter and started walking towards the living room. Stopping when he reached the front door, he turned his head to glance quickly at the mantle above the fireplace. He still hadn't taken her pictures down yet. He hung his head for a moment, then proceeded to unlock the door and make his way to the car.  
  
* * *  
  
"I can't believe he said that to you!" Adam laughed. "You must have been so surprised!"  
  
"I - I -", Chris was laughing so hard he couldn't get the words out. "All I could say was REAAALLLY?" Chris mocked himself by making a silly face. He and Adam cracked up. It felt so good to laugh. He had really missed feeling this good.  
  
"Oh man," Adam said catching his breath. His eyes met with Chris', "I haven't heard you laugh like that in quite awhile." He patted Chris on the back, then got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen to get another Corona. "Hey, you want another one?"  
  
"Nah," Chris answered, "I'm good." Chris' smile faded as he focused on the fish tank in the corner of the room. What he wouldn't give to be a fish right about now. No worries, no complications. Just a simple little life.  
  
Adam popped the top off a fresh Corona and stood by the sink for a moment. He looked into the den, noticing how Chris began to slump on the couch again. He felt so sorry for him. The man was hurting and hurting badly, and no one really knew it. If only he'd talk about it. It had been over three months already.  
  
"I think I am ready for another one, actually." Chris stated suddenly. He got off the couch and joined Adam in the kitchen. After Chris opened his beer, they clinked bottles and sipped in unison.  
  
"Ahh, nice and cold" Chris said.  
  
"Sort of like you these days, "Adam said teasingly. Chris glared at him, then gave Adam one of his trademark smirks.  
  
"I know I've been a fuck lately, I'm sorry 'bout that. I can't help it. Other than being in the ring, I have no motivation anymore."  
  
"C'mon", Adam said, "You can't let Jesse ruin your life. If you don't decide to take her back, get a divorce and get her out of your life for good."  
  
Chris stood there, not really knowing what to say. He had thought about asking for a divorce but wasn't so sure he wanted to do that. On the other hand, how could he look at her the same way as he once had? How could he make love to her again? He tried not to think about it.  
  
"You make it sound so simple, Adam. It's not."  
  
Adam rolled his eyes. "It is that simple. You either want her around or you don't."  
  
"That's the problem. I wanted her around, but I was never around. That's why this happened in the first place."  
  
Shocked that Chris was blaming himself, "Is that what you think? You think that this is your fault?"  
  
"If I had paid more attention to her and spent more time at home then...then maybe this would never have happened." Chris put his beer on the counter. "Thanks for asking me over, Adam. But I think I'm gonna head back."  
  
"Look man, "Adam grabbed Chris' arm," I'm sorry I brought it up." They both stood there, the silence thickening around them. "Stay in the extra room tonight. I don't think you should be driving right now."  
  
"Fine." Chris looked up at Adam. "Thanks man, you're the best."  
  
"Sure man." Adam said sincerely. "Anytime."  
  
* * *  
Chris sat down on the sofa in his dressing room and finished taping his wrists. He wondered if Jesse had gotten into town yet. After the show tonight, he was meeting with her to talk things out one last time. He had decided that he would see how he felt being around her again before he would decide whether or not he wanted to go through with a divorce. Getting a divorce was against everything he believed in. Then again, he didn't think he would be able to forgive her either. Had it been only that one time? He didn't know. He never asked. He had only asked her to leave.  
  
"C'mon in," Chris shouted after hearing a knock at the door. It was Trish.  
  
"Hey gorgeous. You almost ready?" she asked. "You didn't do your hair yet?"  
  
"Nah, I'll head down there in a minute." Chris mumbled as he bit the end of the tape and secured it to his wrist.  
  
"Here, lemme do it. It'll only take me a minute." Trish looked around for some gel and a brush.  
  
"Thanks." Chris said as Trish brushed his hair into a ponytail, then braided it tightly. He didn't mind Trish doing his hair. She had braided it for him many times. She was a lot gentler than the professional hairdressers were. They always pulled his hair so tight he thought his scalp would rip.  
  
"There. All done." Trish walked into the adjoining bathroom and washed her hands.  
  
Chris stood up and brushed off his King of the World T-shirt. "Let's go" he commanded.  
  
As they made their way towards the interview area, Chris saw Stephanie talking with Christian.  
  
"Hey Jay, Hi Steph." Chris said as he walked towards them.  
  
"Hi guys." Christian said to Trish and Chris. "I'll talk to you later, ok?" Christian said to Stephanie and walked away.  
  
"Hey Trish," Steph said reluctantly. Trish smiled at her but didn't respond. They tolerated each other, but otherwise did not like each other at all. Stephanie knew that Trish really had slept with her father and she hated them both for it.  
  
"Chris, I'll be over here for the promo." Trish said, walking towards the interview area. Chris nodded and turned his attention to Stephanie.  
  
"How have you been?" he asked her. "I haven't seen you in a few weeks."  
  
Nodding her head, Stephanie replied, "I'm good thanks. How about you?" Her eyes asked him the question he didn't want to answer.  
  
"I'm meeting with Jessica after the show." Chris's eyes darted away from Stephanie's and focused on the floor between them. He didn't know why he always felt uncomfortable making eye contact with her for too long. They got along just fine. They had even talked about his break up, but he felt uneasy looking into her eyes just the same.  
  
"You know, it's best for you two to meet face to face and try to sort things out." She rubbed his forearm, reassuring him that he'd be ok. "It's not going to be easy, whatever decision you make."  
  
Chris knew she was right. If he divorced her, it would be hell. He'd get over it but not entirely. If they stayed together, he'd probably never trust her again and he didn't want to think about how much fighting would ensue because of it. "You're right Steph. No matter what, it's not gonna be easy." He looked into her eyes again. "Thanks for everything." With that, Chris kissed her forehead. Stephanie smiled at him.  
  
"If you ever need to talk about it, I'm here." Stephanie squeezed his forearm before she let go and started to walk away. "Good luck later, ok?"  
  
"Thanks." He watched her walk down the hallway and out of sight.   
  
"Ok guys, " the cameraman said, "We're going to go live in 5, 4, 3, 2...."  
  
Trish stood in front of the "RAW" logo in the interview area and talked about her match with Molly Holly. Chris stood off camera, waiting for his cue. This time, his flirtation with Trish would lead him to kiss her. It had been scripted that way, and he hoped that Jessica would be watching.  
  
* * * 


	2. I saw red

** I do not own any of these characters. They are either owned by or affiliated with WWE . Lyrics are borrowed from the song "I Saw Red" by Warrant. **  
  
Author's note: Thank you for the reviews! :-)  
  
  
"Then I saw red  
When I opened up the door  
I saw red  
Heart just spilled onto the floor  
And I didn't need to see his face  
I saw yours  
I saw red then I closed the door  
I don't think I'm gonna love you anymore"  
  
  
Chris sat on the plane all alone. He was anxious to get home and see Jessica. They had been bickering a lot as of late and he wanted to make it up to her. She was upset with him because he kept going on the road for weeks at a time and not coming home often enough to see her. She had even accused him of having an affair. An affair! He chuckled to himself. Other than a few script-related kisses with Stephanie McMahon, Chris had never even touched another woman since meeting Jessica. Eventually, he had been able to convince her of that and she had calmed down. Things went well for a while until it was time to release Happenstance. He was so busy with wrestling, interviews and promoting the album, that they barely saw each other. When he should have been reveling in his success, he was wallowing in guilt. He missed her all the time and loved her more than she could ever know. Somehow he couldn't convince her of that.   
  
When Vince had asked him to join the European Tour, he was grateful, yet reluctant. He could use the bonus, not to mention a chance to work with the guys over on the Smackdown roster again, but he really wanted to spend more time with his wife. Vince told him that he only needed to be at the PPV itself, to help round out the card, then he could go home.   
  
He had a limo waiting for him when he arrived at the airport. That was one of his favorite perks. He could call for a limo anytime he wanted as long as he was coming from or going to do WWE business. He thought about calling the house first but decided against it, wanting to surprise her. He stopped off at a 24-hour supermarket and picked up a bouquet of flowers just to kiss up a little bit. He smiled as he thought how she'd melt into his arms when he gave them to her. He got back into the limo and couldn't wait to touch her soft, silky skin. He really missed everything about her.  
  
The limo pulled away as Chris carried his bag with him. He opened the front door and looked around. Her car was in the driveway but all of the lights were out. He tossed the keys into the dish on the mantle and dropped his bag onto the floor. There was a single empty wineglass on the cocktail table. She must have had some wine and taken a bubble bath earlier. That was her favorite way to relax. He took off his boots and left them beside the front door. He looked at the clock. It was 11:30 PM. Maybe she was asleep already? It was a Wednesday evening and she had work the next morning.  
  
Smiling, he walked towards the staircase. As he began making his way to the second floor, he heard something. What the hell was that? He stopped, and listened carefully. There was only silence. As he resumed his ascent, he heard it again. This time, he heard it clearly. His stomach cringed. The sound had come from the direction of his bedroom. Upon reaching the landing, Chris looked to his right, towards the two spare bedrooms and main bathroom. All of the lights were out. He then turned left and started walking towards the master bedroom. As he approached the door, he could hear heavy breathing. The sound was deafening. He looked down at his feet, his heart pounding within his chest. A soft yellow light emanated from under the doorway, illuminating the hallway carpet. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Did he really want to do this?   
  
Gently and ever so quietly, Chris pushed the door open just enough so he could see into the room. Clothes were scattered around the foot of the bed. Then he looked up from the floor and saw his beautiful wife, Jessica before him. She was facing the doorway where Chris stood. Beads of sweat glistened on her stomach as she straddled the man lying in their bed. Chris' heart sank to the floor as he watched his wife arch her back, tilt her head backwards and grind her hips against her lover. He felt sick. The man beneath her was facing away from the door. He couldn't see his face. He felt the urge to rush in, pull her off of him and beat the man to death whilst he lay there. Chris' body was trembling and he couldn't move. He felt defeated and wanted to tear his eyes away from the couple, but he couldn't. A pair of masculine hands then reached up, hungrily cupped her breasts, and then planted themselves firmly on her hips. Chris stared at her face. If she opened her eyes at that moment, she would have seen Chris standing just outside the doorway, in the darkened hallway...but she didn't. Eyes still closed, she leisurely rolled her head to one side. Chris' heart broke as Jessica made an expression that only her husband was supposed to see.  
  
Just as quietly as he had opened it, he pulled the door closed until it was only open enough for some light to escape into the hallway. He felt dizzy as he walked down the hall and down the stairs. He was weak as he took his bag and put it into the music room, along with his boots. Tears started to well up in his eyes. Would she try to lie to him about this? He tossed the flowers into the garbage can. How long had this been going on? He felt a tear slide down his cheek as he walked through the kitchen. Why did she do this? He leaned against the counter, placing his head in his hands. He felt so hurt, so betrayed. He was beside himself, not knowing how to react.  
  
* * *  
  
It was 2:15 in the morning when they finished. She felt so liberated, and so whole. She cared about him a lot, but never planned to see him again and he was okay with that.  
  
After helping him get dressed, she made sure that nothing of his was left in the bedroom. Chris would be home on Friday and she didn't want Chris to know about this. Chris would think that this "fling" was the reason she wanted to leave. It wasn't. She just didn't know how to tell him that although she loved him, she couldn't lead such a different and detached life from that of her husband's.   
  
"You are somthin' else," she murmured as she kissed him passionately. His arms encircled her as he returned her kiss.  
"I'll never forget tonight." He whispered in her ear. "I've wanted you for so long." He nipped at her earlobe then brushed his cheek against hers. Their lips found each other again and they kissed, but gently this time. She could sense genuine caring within it. She smiled as she kissed him back. "Me too...Now, you'd better get going."   
  
They talked softly as they descended the staircase. Jessica guided him to the door. He looked at her, standing there in her white robe, not believing that he had just made love to Chris' wife. "Bye," he whispered as he blew her a kiss and turned away from the door. She closed it silently behind him and touched her fingers to her lips.   
  
She gingerly picked up the wineglass that was on the cocktail table and brought it with her into the kitchen. She was lightly humming to herself as she grabbed the bottle of wine out of the fridge. As she savored the taste of the Zinfandel, she started to feel guilty. Chris didn't deserve this. They had been having some rough times lately, but he really had been trying to make her happy. It was too late now. He had been so wrapped up in his own life for so long that he hadn't felt her heart pulling away from his. She put the bottle back into the fridge and leaned against the counter. When did she stop looking forward to his visits? She couldn't remember. The only thing she did know was that her heart couldn't take the constant saying hello then almost immediate goodbye whenever he came home. She grew tired of crying herself to sleep while lying alone in their bed, night after night. He never forgot to call her, but his calls weren't as frequent as they once had been.   
  
It had taken him a few visits to realize that she wasn't the same. She tried to be happy around him so that he wouldn't get depressed and think he was doing something to hurt her. She knew he wasn't hurting her on purpose. Wrestling was his life, but it was too much of his life. There just wasn't enough left for her. Now he was involved with a band and was gone for weeks at a time. She wanted more out of their marriage and knew that Chris was giving her all that he had. It just wasn't enough. He tried to make up for not being around but she was indifferent to his actions. They were both frustrated with each other. They argued more frequently now and when he did come home, he didn't stay very long.   
  
Tonight had been a surprise. She hadn't planned it at all. Jessica had wanted to talk to Chris this weekend when he returned and would try to resolve things civilly between them. She was thinking of moving out, but she wasn't ready for a divorce yet. Then, he entered the picture. After spending some time with him, she realized just how unhappy she had been with Chris. She knew that if she still loved Chris, she wouldn't have responded to her friend's kiss a few weeks ago. At first, she didn't want to be alone with him again. Then she found herself talking to him on the phone every night. Yesterday he had come over to her house so they could talk. They ended up in her bed instead. She closed her eyes. Thinking about him gave her butterflies. She hadn't felt those butterflies when she thought about Chris, not even in the beginning when they had first started dating. She knew she was wrong for what she did, but it was her choice and it only served as confirmation that she wasn't in love with Chris anymore. Chris was still in love with her though, of that she was sure. She didn't think should could ever bring herself to tell him about tonight. It would kill him. She would just talk to him this weekend about their marriage and take it from there.  
  
Jessica finished her glass of wine and walked over to the sink. She turned on the water and began washing the glass. A feeling of uneasiness surrounded her. She looked up from the sink through the window and into the backyard. She could feel a pair of eyes staring at her from the darkness. She froze.   
  
There was someone sitting out there on the patio. At first, she pretended not to notice and finished what she was doing. She turned off the water, put the glass on the rack next to the sink and walked quickly away from the window. Her heart was in her throat. She stood motionless on the far side of the kitchen, not knowing what to do next. She heard a few footsteps, then total silence. Boldly, she crept over to the sliding glass doors that lead to the patio. As she looked through the glass, she saw him standing there near the edge of the pool. Jessica opened the door and stepped outside.  
  
"Chris?" She asked innocently. His back was to her as she walked onto the patio. He turned around sharply and met her eyes with a cold, hurtful glare.   
  
"Get the fuck out of my house."  
  
* * *  
  
Chris left the arena shortly after RAW had gone off the air. He drove in total silence, not wanting to listen to the radio. He needed to think. Thinking was all he did lately. He was tired and sore from his match. His nerves were raw as anxiety and anticipation coursed through his veins. Maybe this time he would ask her about him.  
  
The engine slowed as Chris pulled in to a parking space near the entrance of the hotel. Yesterday was the first time they had spoken to each other in three and a half months. He really missed her. He turned off the engine but didn't get out of the car. Why was he so nervous? It was only Jessica. He reminded himself to keep his emotions in check. Every time they had tried to talk to each other, they fought instead. The last time had ended in a screaming match. He wasn't expecting to fight with her again. He hated fighting with her. He wasn't sure what to expect from this "meeting" with her tonight. Could he take her back? He didn't know. Did she even want to come back? He was tearing himself inside out thinking about her. He got out of the car and slammed the door. You can do this, he thought. He wiped his hair away from his face and started walking towards the hotel.  
  
* * * 


	3. It's over

** I do not own any of the following characters. They are owned by or affiliated with WWE.**  
  
Author's Note: Please read & review! For those of you who have reviewed my story so far, thank you VERY much!  
  
* * *  
Jessica Irvine sat alone at a table in the bar area of TGIF's. After eating an appetizer, she ordered a margarita to wash it down. Although she didn't drink  
much, she figured having one would calm her nerves. It had taken a lot on her part to phone Chris the other day, let alone ask to meet with him. She was  
surprised when he agreed right away.   
  
As she stirred her drink she thought about the past few months without Chris. She had missed him a lot more than she had thought she would. Granted, he  
had left her alone when they were together, but knowing that he wasn't going to call her or come home to her at all was quite a shock. She hadn't been  
prepared for that.  
  
RAW was still on the air when Jessica ordered a second margarita. She hadn't been paying much attention to the show even though it was being shown at  
the bar and all of surrounding television sets. They showed a recap of Chris' promo from last Monday night. Jessica laughed to herself, thinking how good he  
was at playing a conceited jackass. That element of his personality did exist, but he was generally quite humble.   
  
After Christian's match, the camera cut away to Trish Stratus for a promo. "Ugh." Jessica grumbled when she saw her on the screen. She and Trish had been  
close friends for years until Trish entered the WWF. Jessica had grown jealous of Trish since she and Chris were on the road together most of the time. They  
had easily become friends and hung out with the same crowd after most of the shows. At one point, Jessica had even accused Chris of having an affair with  
her. Although there had been no affair, Jessica nevertheless withdrew from their friendship. She just did not trust Trish, especially after learning of her affair  
with Vince McMahon.  
  
"I'm going to beat Molly tonight and recapture the Women's Title." She proclaimed. "She doesn't deserve to be the women's champion, especially after what  
she did to Bubba Ray last week." Trish looked into the camera. "Nobody hurts my friend and gets away with it." Jessica stared at the screen. That couldn't  
possibly have been meant for her, could it? Jessica's eyes narrowed as Chris Jericho walked on camera and interrupted the end of Trish's promo. They  
bantered with each other, teasing the idea that Trish secretly wanted him. Jessica hadn't watched wrestling for a long time, so she had no idea that  
tonight's segment was part of the payoff of a month long build-up.   
  
Chris Jericho insulted Trish, so she slapped him. He stood his ground and laughed at her. When she attempted to slap him again, he grabbed her wrist,  
pulled her towards him and kissed her. They turned slightly as Jericho embraced her so the audience only saw Jericho's back and Trish's arms flailing behind  
him. Jericho eventually let her go. Trish glared at Jericho as she stomped off camera. Jericho stood there with a satisfied smile on his face as the camera cut  
away to the Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler. Jessica was so shocked that she almost choked on her drink. "Bastard." She mumbled to herself. Jessica was fuming.  
She asked the waiter for the check and scrambled out of the restaurant.  
  
* * *  
  
Chris waited for Jessica in the lobby of his hotel for almost an hour before he decided to go to his room. He had already checked in, but had left his bags in  
the rental car. It was now 1:40 in the morning. He was tired, sore and needed to get some rest before driving to tomorrow's house show.  
  
After gathering his things, he proceeded to the elevator bank. Jessica had just walked into the lobby as Chris stepped onto the elevator. She saw him, but  
didn't follow. She went to the registration desk instead. "I'm Mrs. Christopher Irvine. Can you please tell me which room my husband is staying in this  
evening? He's expecting me."  
  
Chris set his bags down in the corner of the room, then sat on the edge of the bed. All night long he had been consumed by thoughts of Jessica and  
whether or not he was going to give her a second chance. While sitting in the lobby, he had come to the decision that if she wanted to start over, he just  
might give it a try. He loved her so much and felt guilty for not being able to spend more time with her. Why the hell would she stand me up? She was the  
one that had asked to meet with him in the first place. He ran both hands through his hair. He couldn't think about this anymore. He just needed to sleep  
and get his mind off of her. He removed his sweatshirt and tossed it into the corner. As he slipped off his sneakers, there was a knock at the hotel room  
door. It was his wife.  
  
"Hi." Chris said as he opened the door.  
  
"Hi, sorry I'm late." Jessica stood outside the door anxiously, avoiding eye contact. "Can I come in?" Chris stepped aside as she walked passed him into the  
room.  
  
"How are you?" She asked.  
  
"Tired and sore," he answered. "Nothing unusual." She stared at him blankly.  
  
"Go ahead, sit down." He motioned towards the small couch. "Do you want something to drink?"  
  
"No thanks," Jessica responded, "I'm good." She sat down slowly, a feeling of dread coming over her.  
  
Chris popped open a can of soda and sat down on the other end of the couch. "Thanks for agreeing to see me." She said as she turned to face him. " This  
has been hard for both of us."  
  
Chris took a sip of soda then continued looking straight ahead. Who was she kidding? She knew this had been harder on him. "Yeah."  
  
There was tension in the air, but it was to be expected. After a long, deliberate silence, he finally turned his head towards her and their eyes met. They  
stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Months of unspoken anguish cried out from his eyes. How could you do this to me his eyes asked. Her  
face began to flush as guilt began to pool in the pit of her stomach. She stood up and walked to the window. She peered through the curtains; it had  
started to rain.  
  
"Was he the only one?" Chris asked, breaking the silence. He placed his soda on the end table.  
  
Jessica was surprised that he brought it up. He had never brought it up before. "Yes." She answered defensively. "...And it only happened once."   
  
"Gee," Chris said sarcastically, "Somehow that makes me feel a whole lot better." He leaned back against the sofa and wiped his face with both hands,  
digging his fingers into his own cheeks. Jessica folded her arms across her chest and kept her back to him.   
  
Chris looked at her standing there. He had missed her so much. He especially missed those precious moments when her smiling face was the first thing he  
saw when he woke up.  
  
"What the hell happened to us, Jesse?" Chris got up from the couch and walked over to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I don't know." She replied, walking away from him. His touch had given her a chill. She looked back at him and saw a look of confusion on his face. Jessica  
then realized that Chris had come here with an open mind. Despite everything, he still loved her. Her heart went out to him. He really was a good man. She  
couldn't bear the thought of torturing him anymore...she needed to get this over with.  
  
"I'm so sorry about everything, Chris." Jessica said sincerely, her eyes pleading with his to understand. He started walking towards her when she put her  
hand up, motioning for him to stay where he was. "Chris, I didn't come here to ask you for a second chance. I came here to ask you for a divorce." The pain  
in his eyes was unbearable, so she looked away from him and picked her bag up off the couch.  
  
Chris' whole world came crashing down around him. He had been debating if he would still be able to trust her if he took her back and she had already  
decided that she didn't want him. It was as if he didn't have any control over his own life anymore. She had taken everything away from him.  
  
An uneasy silence engulfed them as Jessica retrieved a manila envelope from her bag and placed it on the bed. She looked at him standing there, shirtless  
and vulnerable. He was devastated, she knew that, but she had to do what was best for both of them.   
  
Chris watched his wife as she swung her bag over her shoulder. "That's it?" He snapped his fingers up in the air. "You can just toss me aside, just like  
that?"   
  
"You are the one that originally told me to leave." Jessica stated flatly. "This has been a long time coming, you must've realized that. Things weren't working  
out between us for a while." Chris wiped his mouth with his wrist. "Besides, you've obviously had no problem finding solace on your own, I'm sure you'll be  
fine." Jessica turned away from him and started walking towards the door.   
  
Chris followed quickly after her, grabbed her by the arm and turned her around. "What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
Jessica pulled her arm out of Chris' grasp. "I saw that kiss you gave Trish tonight. I'm sure she'll be happy to comfort you!" Jessica snapped at him.  
  
Chris rolled his eyes. "That kiss was part of the script asshole!" He yelled. "How many times do I have to tell you that I am not interested in Trish?"  
  
"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Jessica growled.  
  
"Is that why you did it?" Chris' rested his hand on the door to keep Jessica from opening it and leaving. "Did you cheat on me 'cause you really thought I  
was sleeping with Trish?"   
  
Jessica was livid. "Chris, not everything is about YOU, ok?"  
  
"What the hell is it about then, huh?" He said, raising his voice. "Tell me, Jessica, what is this about? Is it about HIM?" Jessica sighed at him. ""Are you  
leaving me for HIM?" Chris stared at her, his eyes demanding an answer.  
  
Jessica looked down at her feet. She wouldn't give him an answer. Chris lifted his hand off the door and took a step backwards. He felt numb. When she  
looked back up at him, he could see tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Chris' face flushed and his eyes became glassed over.  
  
"Don't you love me anymore?" He asked wholeheartedly. She reached behind her and turned the doorknob.  
  
"I never wanted to hurt you, Chris. You have to believe that." A tear slid down his cheek as she opened the door. She stood there for a moment before  
turning and walking away. He listened to her footsteps as she walked down the hall. He knew at that moment that she was never coming back.  
  
* * *  
  
Stephanie and Paul were the last to arrive at the hotel after the show. They were still in the lobby when Jessica stepped off the elevator. Once she noticed  
them, Jessica stopped dead in her tracks. She hadn't wanted to bump into anyone. She waited as they kissed goodnight, then Stephanie exited the lobby  
and ran through the rain to the limo that had been waiting for her outside. As Jessica made her way to the front entrance, she made eye contact with Paul,  
who was waiting for an elevator on the other side of the lobby. Things must have fallen apart for Irvine, Paul thought. He smiled to himself as he got on the  
elevator.  
  
Jessica stepped out into the rain. She felt guilty for hurting Chris the way she had. At the same time, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.  
She was filled with mixed emotions as she ran to her car rental. She started the car and turned on the heat, attempting to dry off as best she could. Her  
hotel was about ten minutes away. She would be in a warm dry place in no time at all. He's here she thought to herself. They had not seen each other since  
that night, although they had spoken on the phone several times. Maybe she should go see him one more time. She turned off the engine and grabbed her  
bag.  
  
* * *  
He knew that she was in town and he wanted to be with her. He'd thought about her often. She was a beautiful woman. He had been attracted to her from  
the day he had been introduced to her. They knew each other well and he cared for her a lot. That evening they shared together had been magical. He had  
never felt that way with any other woman before. He was enthralled with Jessica. There was something about her that made him ache for her.  
  
The soft knocking at the door roused him from his thoughts. He looked through the peephole and he smiled. Jessica stood there in the doorway, soaking  
wet. He opened the door and let her into his room.   
  
Closing the door, he turned to her and said, "Are you okay?"  
  
She dropped her bag to the floor where she stood. "I'm much better now that I'm here."  
  
* * * 


	4. Just one show

** I do not own any of the following characters. They are owned by or affiliated with WWE.**  
  
  
"Have you spoken to him?" Adam asked, leaning against the wall in Kurt's dressing room.  
  
"No, I keep getting his voicemail." Kurt replied, frustrated. Kurt shook his head. "I wonder what happened?"  
  
"Jay called me earlier and said that he hasn't shown up for the house show yet."  
  
"Are you serious?" Kurt shot Adam a look of concern.   
  
"Yeah, very. No one has seen him or heard from since he left RAW last night."  
  
* * *  
  
"It's been three days now." Vince McMahon said to Stephanie over the phone. "I've got meetings all day and since you are closer, I need you to take the jet and find out what's going on."  
  
"Daddy, have you called the hotel?" Stephanie asked as she laced up her boots.  
  
"Yeah. He hasn't checked out yet. He's in room 412."  
  
"Okay, I should be there by six or so."  
  
"Great honey. I really appreciate this. Oh, and see if you can get Kurt or someone close to him to go with you."  
  
"Ok. I'll call you when I get there." Stephanie hung up the bedroom phone.  
  
"What was that about?" Paul asked, lying in bed with his arms behind his head.  
  
Stephanie sighed aloud as she stood up. "I have to fly back to Detroit and get to the bottom of this thing with Chris."  
  
"What's going on?" Paul sat up, intrigued. "He still hasn't contacted anyone?"  
  
"Nope. My dad found him, but he can't fly out there right now. So, I have to go talk some sense into him."  
  
Paul didn't like the idea that she was flying somewhere to see Chris. "Do you want me to go with you?"  
  
Stephanie laughed sarcastically. "Yeah right, Paul. Like Chris would really want to talk to you." She finished getting her things together and sat down on the bed next to Paul.  
  
Paul smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "You hardly know each other, Steph. Why would he talk to you?"  
  
"I know we hardly know each other, that's not the point. As a McMahon I have to do what's best for the company!" She proclaimed, giving in to innocent laughter. "Besides, daddy said I have to go."  
  
* * *  
  
It was 6:25 when Stephanie knocked on the door of room 412. No one answered.   
  
"Chris?" She asked through the door, "It's Stephanie." Silence. "Please open the door, I need to speak with you."  
  
She stood there, impatiently tapping her foot on the carpet outside of room 412. She knocked again, louder than the last time and still no answer. Placing her head against the door, she listened and could hear absolutely nothing. Next, she tried the doorknob. There was a "do not disturb" sign hanging from it.   
  
"CHRIS!" Stephanie said through gritted teeth. "Plee-" the door opened slightly. She stood there for a moment, expecting Chris to open the door all the way. When he didn't she pushed the door open and walked into the room.  
  
The bed was a mess and there were clothes everywhere. Chris was sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to her.  
  
"Thanks for finally getting the door." She said politely as she closed the door behind her. The silence was awkward between them. She walked around the bed to wear Chris was sitting. His face was unshaven and his hair looked like it hadn't been washed in days. She was surprised that the room didn't smell bad.  
  
Chris looked up at Stephanie; his eyes were cold and distant. "What brings you here, eh?"  
  
"Vince sent me." She stated honestly. She hesitated for a moment before sitting on the couch across from him.  
  
"You want to know what happened, right?" Chris asked, turning on the television set.  
  
"That's why I'm here." Stephanie leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees.  
  
"In all honesty, I didn't wake up until 2 o'clock on Tuesday. There wasn't enough time to drive to the arena, so I went back to sleep."  
  
Stephanie made a face. "You could have called someone. Anyone."  
  
"I know, but I didn't feel like talking to anybody. I just had to be alone for a while." Chris flipped to another station, his eyes fixed on the television screen.  
  
"You know you can't just decide not to show up to an event, Chris. You have contractual obligations with us."  
  
"Don't you think I know that?" Chris snapped as he stood up from the bed. Stephanie stared at him in disbelief. "I don't need you or anybody else reminding me of my obligations! I needed a day off, gimme a fucking break!" He threw his arms up into the air with exasperation.  
  
"There are certain ways we do things around here, Chris." Stephanie stood up and glared at him. How dare he burst out at her like that! "You've never had a problem with the rules until now. If we can't depend on you, you can't main event for us."  
  
"What?" Chris laughed. "I was gone for one show, ONE SHOW!"  
  
"Yeah that's right. You missed one show...and how many of the fans that paid to see Chris Jericho were disappointed and let down when you didn't show up?" Stephanie stuck her chin up at Chris, knowing that she made a good point.  
  
"Since you and the writers keep holding me back, probably not that many." He growled and turned away from her. Stephanie grumbled to herself and grabbed him by the arm. He slowly turned to look at her, eyes boiling over. "Get off of me." He mumbled.  
  
In a very deep and calm voice, Stephanie said, "I suggest you pack your shit and meet me in the lobby in a half an hour." She let him go and started walking towards the door.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere." Chris snapped. "You tell your father I'll be at the show on Saturday and thank him for sending the Gestapo to check on his investment."   
  
Stephanie was infuriated. She opened the door and turned to face him. "You don't want to piss me off, Chris."  
  
"Why not? Do you think I care if I do? I'm tired of worrying about everyone else." Chris kicked some clothes away from his feet. "What the hell can YOU do anyway?"  
  
"Just be downstairs by 7:15." Stephanie said, "You don't want to find out."   
  
Stephanie closed the door and stood outside in the hallway, stunned at Chris' attitude. He had never acted like this in the three years he had worked with the company. On screen they used to fight and verbally abuse each other, but most of it had been scripted. He had always been quite the professional backstage, generally polite and easy to work with. She knew him well enough to know that this was not his usual behavior. She made her way to the elevator and went downstairs to the lobby.  
  
Chris was downstairs with his bags at 7:10 that evening. Stephanie knew that he would show up. He was freshly showered and cleanly shaven , except for his extremely long goatee. Other than the coldness in his eyes, he looked normal.   
  
"I suppose I'm leaving with you?" Chris asked in a snotty manner.  
  
"Indeed you are." Stephanie walked with Chris to limo outside and they rode to the airport in silence.  
  
Chris felt bad for not going to the show on Tuesday, but he had been too distraught. He hadn't even realized what time or what day it was when he awoke that afternoon. He realized that he couldn't let his break-up with Jesse consume him otherwise he'd jeopardize his career. He hadn't called anyone because he needed to get a grip on his feelings. If he had spoken to anyone right away, he would have had to explain what was going on and would've broken down again. He couldn't let that happen.  
  
Stephanie sat next to him, making entries in her palm pilot. Chris was angry with her because she acted so cold and businesslike with him. What was he expecting her to do, comfort him? Maybe he thought she'd be girlier and less businesslike. Girly in the sense that she would ask him how he was feeling and want to know what happened with Jessica on Monday night. But she hadn't even asked. It's not like they were good friends or anything. They had good chemistry and worked well together. Nothing more nothing less. The only reason he had told Stephanie the truth about his break-up with Jessica was so that Stephanie would have the storyline involving Trish re-written, which she did. He didn't regret telling her, but he wasn't sure he was comfortable with her having that knowledge now.  
  
"There's a bad storm coming in according to the forecast." Stephanie said, showing Chris the image on her palm pilot. "Lemme call the airport and make sure we can fly out of here tonight." 


	5. Shared pain

** I do not own any of the following characters. They are owned by or affiliated with WWE.**  
  
  
The rain pelted against the windows of the WWE jet as they sat inside, waiting for the airport to clear them for take off. They had already been delayed for over an hour and had no idea when they would be allowed to leave.  
  
Chris had not said one word to her since leaving the hotel. He sat near a window, feet up on the chair across from him, staring out into the rain. Although his attitude and his silence annoyed her, she did wonder what had happened with his wife on Monday night. She wanted to ask him about it, but wasn't sure she should once he revealed the mood he was in. She remained seated on the other side of the plane and pulled out her laptop.   
  
The rain was coming down hard and the wind was steadily increasing. Chris sighed to himself, knowing that the plane wouldn't be taking off anytime soon. Tomorrow would be interesting. He was sure that Vince would want to meet with him first thing in the morning. That was inevitable. Vince wouldn't fire him, he was sure of that. What would he say about it though? He'd never taken an unscheduled leave of absence in his entire career. Chris closed his eyes and shook his head. What the hell was I thinking? He thought to himself.  
  
Chris's eyes remained closed as he rested his head on the back of the seat. He listened to the sound of the rain tapping the skin of the aircraft. It was melodic and soothing. At some point, the sound of keys tapping on a keyboard filtered through that of the rain, causing him to open his eyes. He turned his head slightly to the left and saw Stephanie plugging away at her laptop. She looked cute; sitting there with her glasses on, her hair tied up in a scrunchy. He couldn't imagine the amount of responsibility Stephanie had on her shoulders. No matter what was going down, Stephanie was always there. He thought about how often she put the company before her own personal interests. Even now, she was doing it. She could be doing whatever she wanted to while enjoying some time off but instead was stuck here in Detroit with him. Chris felt guilty for being so mean to her earlier.   
  
Stephanie looked up from the laptop and turned towards Chris. She made a face at him when she realized he was looking at her then quickly returned to typing. Chris stood up and walked over to her.  
  
"Steph?" He stood in front of her. Slowly, she looked up at him.   
  
"Yes?" She asked, acting as if he had ruined her concentration.   
  
"I'm sorry for being an asshole earlier." Chris ran his fingers through his hair. "Don't take it personally, I'm not myself these days." Stephanie blinked at him from behind her glasses, then looked down at her laptop. She resumed typing without responding to him.  
  
Chris shook his head and walked back to his seat. He plopped down and looked out the window again. Why do I bother? He thought. He slumped farther into the chair and closed his eyes. Maybe he should try to take a nap.  
  
Stephanie finished working on her report around 10:30. She placed her laptop on the seat next to her then stood up to stretch. Without looking in Chris' direction, she walked to the front of the plane and spoke with the pilot. "It's still too windy for take off. All planes are still grounded," the pilot told her.   
  
Annoyed, she walked over to a cabinet not far from the cockpit. Inside the cabinet was a mini refrigerator. She took out a can of Pepsi, popped it open and took a long swig of the cool liquid. She stood there for a moment, stretching her back, then proceeded back towards the main part of the cabin. She sipped her soda as she approached Chris, when she realized that he was asleep.  
  
There was a look of frustration on his face as he slept. His arms were folded across his chest and his breathing was uneasy. For the moment, Stephanie felt really sorry for him. She stood there, watching Chris as he struggled to sleep. He must have loved her very much, she thought to herself.   
  
Chris sat there, eyes closed. "I came here to ask you for a divorce," Jessica's voice echoed within his head. His stomach churned when he thought about it. He had been preoccupied with thoughts of work for most of the night, then gradually started thinking about his wife again. He'd had months to get used to the idea of not being with her, but knowing that she didn't want him anymore hurt him deeper than he would have ever imagined. Jessica said that this had been a long time coming. All the while Chris loved his wife, she silently didn't love him back and wanted to be away from him. Without realizing it, tears began to fill his eyes and gently slid under his closed eyelids, onto his face. Out of nowhere, he felt a soft, warm hand cover his. Startled, he opened his eyes and found himself looking directly at Stephanie, who was standing over him.  
  
"I'm sorry..."she said in a low voice as she took her hand away. Chris sat upright in his seat, wiped his eyes and turned his face away from hers. He was embarrassed. "I hope I didn't wake you."  
  
"I was awake." He mumbled. Dammit, why couldn't he control his emotions?  
  
"I saw you sleeping there and thought..." Stephanie stood up straight and frowned. "Well, it doesn't matter." She started to walk away.  
  
"Steph..." Chris looked towards her once again. His eyes pleaded with her to come back. She walked back and sat across from him. They looked at each other, not knowing what to say.  
  
"It's okay." She said calmly, "About earlier, I mean. I was taken off guard that's all. I should've have known you'd be in a foul mood." She attempted a slight smile of forgiveness.  
  
"I am sorry." He leaned back in his chair. "My head has just been spinning."  
  
"Things went pretty bad on Monday night, huh?" She asked innocently. Chris didn't look at her; he just stared off into the distance. Stephanie was uncomfortable now that she had asked him about it.  
  
"She served me with divorce papers." He blurted out suddenly. Hell, he hadn't talked to anyone about this at all and he needed to get it off his chest. "Can you imagine? She fucks around, shits all over our marriage then SHE dumps ME?"   
  
"I know it's unfair," she nodded, "and it is a tough pill to swallow right now. But, you'll see that in the end, it was for the best." Chris was surprised at the maturity in her voice.  
  
"How can it be for the best? My wife fuckin' left me for another man!"  
  
Stephanie thought for a moment. "If she really loved you, she wouldn't have cheated on you. She would have tried to hold on and work out the problems within your marriage. Better you found that out now rather than later, after you'd invested more time in her and maybe even had kids."  
  
Chris was shocked. Part of him knew Stephanie was right but he had never thought she would come up with something like that. He scratched his forehead. "It doesn't change the fact that I loved her." He couldn't believe he said that to Stephanie, of all people. She was his boss' daughter. He turned his face away from her, feeling uncomfortable suddenly.  
  
"Of course not." She got up and sat down next to him. "We can't help whom we fall in love with. It just happens sometimes, even though we don't want it to."  
  
"Oh, I wanted it, Steph. I knew it from the moment I met her, that she was the one for me."   
  
"That's what I thought about Andrew." Chris looked at Stephanie as she hung her head.  
  
"Andrew?" Chris asked her, feeling confused. "You guys were going out?"  
  
"Yeah. We were seeing each other for a while before he signed with the company. We'd even gotten engaged. My dad wrote it into the storyline so we could spend more time together." Stephanie looked out the window and into the rain. "I showed up at his hotel room one night when he was on the road, you know, to surprise him. I found him in bed with some girl."  
  
"I never knew you guys were really an item." Chris felt sorry for her, but also felt somewhat relieved that someone shared in his pain.  
  
"Well, I made a huge scene in the room, you know me," she laughed half-heartedly. "but eventually I took him back."   
  
"I know how that can be. I was considering it myself." Steph turned to face Chris and their eyes met. The pain was evident in both of their eyes. "If you don't mind me asking, who ended it?"  
  
Stephanie smirked. "I suppose I did. It was really complicated, the way things turned out."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, I wanted revenge at first. So, when my dad wrote in the wedding angle with Paul, I slept with him." Chris' eyes almost popped out of his head. "Don't look so shocked. He wanted it as much as I did. His relationship with Joanie was on thin ice as it was." Stephanie's eyes left Chris' and settled on the seat across from them. "I returned Andrew's ring to him a few weeks later and eventually Paul left Joanie. The rest, as they say, is history."  
  
"I never knew." Chris sat there, still shocked that Stephanie and Andrew had been engaged.  
  
"Nobody really did. In a way, I'm glad. It would make working with him more difficult, otherwise."  
  
Chris admired her. She really did love this business. For the past three years she had treated Andrew equally among the other wrestlers, even after he had broken her heart. He then thought about his wife. Chris didn't think he was capable of doing that.  
  
"If Jesse worked here, I don't think I would be able to work with her again, not after this." Chris said honestly. "It's like she wanted to tear my heart out." He sighed heavily and closed his eyes.   
  
Stephanie reached over and took Chris' hand into both of hers. "It'll be difficult, but you'll be fine." She reassured him. Somehow, he took comfort in her touch.  
  
Chris turned to Stephanie and smiled at her. "Thanks."  
  
"Anytime."  
  
* * *  
  
After what seemed like forever, Chris managed to get out of the bed in Stephanie guestroom. He had no idea what time it was, but knew that he had not gotten much sleep. He stumbled into the bathroom to take a quick shower. After putting on some fresh clothes, he carried his bags out of he room and walked across the hall into the den.  
  
"Good morning, sunshine." Paul said as he read the newspaper.  
  
"Mornin' Paul." Chris looked around for Stephanie, who was nowhere in sight.  
  
"She's on the phone, as usual." Paul said with a laugh, never looking up from the paper.  
  
Chris sat down on the leather sofa and waited patiently. Eventually, Stephanie entered the room.  
  
"Okay, the car should be here in a few minutes." She said, setting the cordless down on an end table. "You ready?"  
  
"Yup." Chris stood up and grabbed his things.  
  
"Paul, I'll be back in a little while." He looked up from the paper and gave her a dirty look. "Aren't you sick of him yet?" Paul asked in a serious tone.  
  
"I'm only going to get my car, Paul." Stephanie turned and walked out of the den in a huff.  
  
Paul shook his head and looked at Chris. "Sorry about the wife." He said, trying to conceal a smirk.  
  
Chris glared at him, then carried his things out to the driveway.  
  
"Paul can be such a dick." Stephanie complained. "But you already knew that, right?" Chris smiled. They both chuckled as a limo pulled up to Stephanie's house.  
  
A pleasant silence overcame them as the limo took them to Titan Towers. Chris was glad that it had been Stephanie that had come to get him and not anyone else. As much as he hated to admit it, it felt good to talk to her about what had happened with his wife. He didn't think that any of his guy friends would have understood. What was important, was that Stephanie had understood and she had been there for him when he thought he needed to be alone.  
  
"My dad doesn't take bullshit, you know that." Stephanie said. "Make sure you're upfront with him and everything will work out just fine." Chris nodded as they got out of the limo.   
  
They walked over to Stephanie's red corvette, which was parked near the wall of the garage. As she opened the door, he gently grabbed her arm and turned her towards him. "Steph, I really appreciate you being there for me last night. I know it's the last place you wanted to be."  
  
"You know something?" Stephanie smiled as she looked up at him. "It wasn't that bad. I really enjoyed talking to you." With that she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. Chris blushed, then let go of her arm. "Now, be nice to my daddy." She winked at Chris then got into her car.   
  
As she drove out of the garage, Stephanie smiled to herself. It felt good to come clean about Andrew and why she had started her relationship with Paul. Chris hadn't judged her at all; he had only been surprised. Somehow, she knew he wouldn't tell anyone about it either. She wanted to help him get through this. She pulled over to the side of the road and placed a call on her cell.  
  
Chris walked back to the limo after Stephanie pulled out of the garage. "I'll be back in about a half an hour." He told the driver. He felt the weight of the world upon his shoulders as he rode the elevator up to Vince's office. He hoped the meeting would go smoothly.   
  
"Good morning Chris." Vince said as Chris walked into the office. "Glad you could make it." Vince stood up and leaned across the mahogany desk to shake Chris' hand. "You had us worried for a little while there, Chris." Vince said as he motioned for Chris to take a seat.  
  
The two men studied each other, wondering what the other was thinking. Vince cut to the chase. "So, I understand you are having marital trouble?" Chris' eyes narrowed.  
  
"If you want to put it that way, yes." He stated flatly.  
  
Vince smirked. "Well son, it happens eventually to all of us." Chris rubbed his chin. "I won't pretend to know the details and frankly, it's none of my concern. However, I am concerned about how this is going to affect you, Chris. I can't have one of my up-and-comers taking days off left and right without warning. The fans depend on you... I depend on you."  
  
"Look, what's done is done." Chris said forcefully. "I fucked up, and I can't take it back. I know it wasn't very professional of me, and I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Their eyes were locked in an icy dance. Vince was impressed by Chris' honesty. He'd go easy on him for now.  
  
"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Vince smiled brightly. "You've never done this before, so I guess I can let it slide this time."  
  
"Thanks, I appreciate it." Chris stood up, anxious to go to a hotel and get some sleep. Vince opened his desk draw and rifled through it, looking for something. "Hold on, a minute." Vince found what he was looking for. "Here." Chris took the business card that Vince handed to him. "One of the best divorce lawyers in the State of Florida, tell her I sent you." Vince winked at Chris and patted him on the shoulder. "Go on, get some rest." Vince shooed him away jokingly.  
  
"Thanks, Vince." Chris said as he walked out of the office. Vince picked up the phone and placed a call.  
  
"Yeah, it's me. There's been a change." Vince turned his chair to face the window. "Postpone the storyline we talked about until further notice. I have to make sure he's got his head on straight first. We don't need anymore injuries."  
  
Chris sighed with relief as the limo pulled away from the WWE offices. He was surprised that Vince had gone so easy on him. He knew Vince didn't trust him anymore and he'd probably not be involved in any major storylines for a few weeks. That was okay, he would be fine as long as he got to work, period.   
  
The thought suddenly struck him that the limo driver was driving but Chris had nowhere to go. He hadn't made any reservations yet.   
  
"Excuse me," Chris spoke into the intercom, "Can you take me to a decent hotel around here?"  
  
"Don't worry Mr. Irvine." The driver replied, "Ms. McMahon has already made arrangements for you."  
  
* * * 


	6. Butterflies

** I do not own any of the following characters. They are owned by or affiliated with WWE.**  
  
Stephanie tossed her keys onto the end table as she whizzed into the den. She sat down in the leather recliner and took a deep breath. It felt good to be home. She had wanted to spend a few days here and relax, but she'd have to go back on the road tomorrow morning.  
  
Slowly, she pulled her shoes off and turned on the television. She raised the volume a little to drown out the clinking sounds that emanated from the gym in the basement. Flipping through the channels, her thoughts turned to Paul. They had been living together in Stephanie's house during their time off and it was wearing on her nerves. He had such a rigid routine and never wanted to do anything fun. They didn't even share many of the same interests. This business was their common thread. She enjoyed dating the top guy in the company as much as he enjoyed sleeping with boss' daughter. She just wasn't sure that this was enough for her.  
  
A few minutes after the clinking ceased, Paul came upstairs. He stood directly in front of her and stared.  
  
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I'm tired."   
  
Paul smiled and knelt before her. "That's ok." He smiled, "I'm going upstairs to take a nice hot shower." He placed one hand on each of her knees. "You can stay down here..." His fingertips gently traced little circles on her thighs. "...Or, you can join me." He knelt a little closer and leaned in to kiss her. It was a swift, emotionless kiss, but it woke her desire nonetheless.   
  
"I'll meet you upstairs." She whispered, kissing him back. Paul gave her a squeeze as he stood up. "Don't be long." He cautioned with a smile. He took his shirt off his as he walked towards the stairs. He looked over his shoulder at her, then dropped his sweats onto the floor at the base of the stairs. She watched him walk up to the second level completely naked. Paul was so full of himself. She laughed softly and walked into the kitchen.   
  
After putting a few things away, she went upstairs and found Paul already in the large octagonal shower. She watched the water roll carelessly off of his well-sculpted muscles. She loved looking at him naked. He turned around to see her standing there. He gave her an inviting smile and opened the door for her. She stepped into the shower and right into his arms. The passion was strong enough between them to make her forget that she didn't love him. The sex was always good and very satisfying. No wonder she kept him around.  
  
* * *  
  
Night had fallen when Chris finally woke from his slumber. He stretched out his arms and got out of the bed. He felt better than he had in days. Before he had the chance to look at the clock, there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Who?" Chris asked as he put a shirt on.  
  
"It's us." The voices said in unison. Chris knew immediately who it was. He opened the door and let them in.  
  
"Man, we were worried SICK about you!" Adam said as he threw his arms around his friend. Chris smiled as Adam patted him on the back, hard.  
  
"What the hell were you thinking?" Kurt asked, taking his turn embracing Chris. Jason walked in behind them and closed the door.   
  
"Glad you're all right." Jason loosely hugged Chris and walked passed him into the room.  
  
"It's good to see you guys." Chris said, looking at his buddies. They stood there, looking like little boys who had just found a lost pet. All he could do was smile.  
  
After Chris got dressed, the four of them went downstairs to the restaurant in the hotel. Adam and Kurt were going on and on about their matches from Smackdown while Jason and Chris shared a plate of Buffalo wings. Soon, the four of them were quiet.  
  
"Go ahead." Chris said, wiping his face and tossing the napkin onto his empty plate. Chris made eye contact with each of them, one at a time.  
  
"Chris, "Adam said, "You don't have to bring it up if you don't want to."  
  
Chris nodded. "It's all right, you guys might as well know." They all looked at Chris intently, worried that he might freak out. "I met her at the hotel after RAW, I thought she wanted to work things out. She asked me for a divorce instead."  
  
"Whoa...."Kurt mumbled. "No way! I am SO SORRY Chris."   
  
"Why the hell would she do that?"" Jason asked, crinkling his face up, "I mean, you guys were great together."  
  
Chris sighed and looked at his plate. He had to keep himself together. "Well, apparently she didn't think so."  
  
Adam's eyes met Chris'. He was the only one that knew the real reason for the split. "Man, I'm sorry." Chris nodded.  
  
"Look, I'll get over it eventually. I'm just glad this happened now before we had any kids." Chris remembered his conversation with Stephanie the night before and smiled to himself. They had talked for hours about their relationships. He wondered what she was doing right now.  
  
"I hear ya." Jason said. "That would've been harder on you, man." Jason chomped on a piece of bread. "You know, I should have realized that she was the reason you didn't show up on Tuesday."  
  
Chris turned to Jason with a confused expression on his face. He had only told Adam, Trish and Stephanie that he was meeting Jessica on Monday night. "I never told you guys that I was meeting her."  
  
"I know you didn't, but we were all staying at the same hotel." Jason continued. "I saw her leaving the hotel on Tuesday when I was checking out."  
  
Adam and Chris both raised their eyebrows. "Jay, she left my room on Monday night almost as soon as she got to the hotel."  
  
Jason gulped his beer and gently rested it on the tabletop. "I'm sorry man, but I know it was Jessica that I saw on Tuesday morning." Jason felt really bad for telling Chris the truth. He felt Chris had the right to know.  
  
Kurt ordered another round of beers from the waitress and inquired about their entrees. He then turned to Chris and said, "do you think she was cheating on you?"  
  
Chris started laughing sarcastically. "No, YA THINK?" Chris slammed his fist onto the table. "I caught her fucking some guy in my bed a few months ago. That's why I kicked her out."  
  
Kurt and Jason sat motionless, completely caught off guard. They hadn't known any of this. "She's left me for him apparently." Chris got up from the table and walked outside.   
  
Kurt was about to follow him. "Let him be." Adam said as he grabbed Kurt's arm. "He needs to cool off."  
  
Jason had a look of disgust on his face. "What the hell? I never would have pegged her for a cheater."  
  
"Any idea who she's sleeping with?" Adam asked.  
  
Kurt looked at both of them. "I'm not sure, but it's obviously going to cause a lot of problems if it's one of the guys."  
  
* * *  
  
Chris stood outside the restaurant, looking in at the guys at the table. They were worse then a bunch of wash women. He laughed to himself. He knew that they were probably trying to figure out who Jessica had been staying with at the hotel. He was wondering that himself. After all, she was supposed to be staying at a different hotel.  
  
What difference did it make now? He was getting a divorce and his relationship with Jessica was over. Did he really want to know who the guy was? That knowledge wouldn't do him any good at this point, but a part him wanted to find out. He pulled out his cell phone when he heard it beeping. He had voicemail.   
  
"Hi Chris, it's me." Chris smiled at the sound of Trish's voice. "I hope everything is ok with you. Adam called me earlier and told me where you were. I'll see you tomorrow at the arena, k? Be good." She was always so sweet. It was a shame that Jessica never believed they were just friends. Trish was a great girl, but there was just no chemistry between them. Chris shook his head.   
  
There was one more message. "Hi Chris, it's Steph. Just wondering how you're holding up. Enjoy your evening and I'll see you at the show tomorrow. Bye Bye." Chris clipped his phone to his belt and walked back in to the restaurant.  
  
The guys stopped talking as soon as Chris sat down. "What?" They all looked at him strangely.  
  
"Who was that on the phone?" Kurt asked innocently.  
  
"I was checking my voicemail."  
  
"Oh." Kurt said, almost disappointed.  
  
"I spoke to Trish before." Adam said as the waitress brought their dinner out. "She couldn't come tonight, so she said she'd see you tomorrow."  
  
"S'ok Adam, she left me a message." Adam nodded and started digging into his food.   
  
"Yeah, but we're here!" Jason said, nudging Chris on the shoulder.  
  
"Who told you guys that I was here anyway?" Chris asked, stuffing his face.  
  
"Stephanie called me this morning and told me." Kurt said with a smile. "Seems she was a little worried about you, my boy."  
  
Jason and Adam smiled and looked at Chris for a reaction. "What are looking at?" Chris acted confused.  
  
"She was worried about you, Chris." Adam teased in a girlish voice. They all had a good laugh at his expense.  
  
"It's good to be the King of the World, eh Chris?" Kurt chuckled. "Got the boss' daughter worried about you and shit?"  
  
"I bet it was her idea to go get you." Jason teased. "Next thing you know, she'll dump Paul and come after you." They all roared with laughter as they started a "Triple H" bashing session. Chris smiled and looked down at his plate. Stephanie McMahon and Chris? The thought released butterflies in his stomach.   
  
* * * 


	7. Drowning your sorrows

** I do not own any of the following characters. They are owned by or affiliated with WWE.**  
  
Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming! :-)  
  
* * *  
  
Chris turned off the faucet and stepped out of the shower. It was almost time to leave for the airport and he hadn't finished packing yet. Why did he always have to leave everything to last minute?   
  
He quickly dried himself off and threw on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. He strolled back into the bathroom. Chris gingerly wiped the steam away from the center of the mirror with the palm of his left hand. Shit. He was so used to wearing his wedding band he had never thought to take it off. Stroking it with his thumb, he walked out of the bathroom and into the master bedroom. The room was empty now, except for a snack table with a treasure chest shaped jewelry box sitting on top of it. The box was Chris', and within it were all the precious pieces of jewelry that had been given to him throughout his life. He opened the lid, then slid the ring off of his finger with ease. He stared at for a moment, watching the light glint off of its finished surface. He looked at the inscription etched inside. "Every moment I'm with you puts a smile on my heart," it read. Chris closed his eyes and clutched the ring within his hand. It was time to let her go. "Damn you," he mumbled to himself, tossing the ring into the jewelry box. He slammed the lid shut, and hurried back into the bathroom to finish getting ready.  
  
* * *  
  
"I left her the number right?" Chris asked, fastening his seat belt.  
  
"Relax," Adam said with a smile, "Allie will take care of it. Everything will be set up and waiting for you when you get home next week." Chris gave him a look of concern. "She can handle me, so bedroom furniture shouldn't be a problem."   
  
Chris couldn't help but laugh. Adam giggled softly, shaking his head. "Man, you worry too much."  
  
"It's not that, I just feel bad asking her to wait around for the deliveries and all."  
  
"She's more than happy to do it. She wants you to get back to normal as much as I do." Adam patted Chris on the shoulder. Chris smiled. Adam was such a good friend; he didn't know what he'd do without him.  
  
The plane landed in San Francisco at 11:00 o'clock Saturday morning. Once at the hotel, Chris unpacked his things and thought about his itinerary. He had the house show tonight in Sacramento; the house show tomorrow in San Francisco; RAW in Las Vegas and a house show in Reno on Tuesday. After changing his clothes, he headed to the gym in the hotel for a quick work out and bumped into Jason in the elevator.  
  
"Hey." Jason said as Chris stepped onto the elevator. "Goin' to the gym?"  
  
"Yup. You?"   
  
Jason nodded and folded his arms across his chest, not looking in Chris' direction. Chris had noticed that Jason had been acting strange lately. He wondered what, if anything, was wrong. "Everything ok with you these days?"  
  
Jason shifted nervously on his feet. "Yeah. I just have a lot on my mind lately."   
  
They both stepped off the elevator and walked in to the gym. Rob and Tommy were over by the free weights. Chris walked towards them as Jason disappeared to the other side. Chris knew something was bugging him, but he didn't press the issue.  
  
"Hey you made it early." Rob teased.   
  
Chris smirked at him. "Wiseass." The three of them laughed. Chris joined them in their workout. He worked out alone most of the time, due to his rigorous schedule, but enjoyed working out with Rob when he could because he was funny. It also didn't hurt that they had similar workout routines. Tommy left shortly after Chris' arrival in order to make a phone call.  
  
"Dwayne's having a little get together tomorrow night." Chris said, placing a dumbbell back onto the rack. "Wanna come?"  
  
Rob smiled. "I'd love to go, but I've some errands to take care of between shows."  
  
"Aw c'mon." Chris slapped Rob's arm. "You haven't hung out with us in ages. You know how his 'little get togethers' are!" Chris got all excited. "LOTS of food and even more alcohol." Rob made a face. "Sorry, but you get the picture." Chris had forgotten that Rob had cleaned up his act.  
  
Rob's dimples grew deeper as his smile grew wider. "Chris, man, I can't." Chris showed him an exaggerated pout. "Okay, okay, I'll come along."   
  
"Great!" Chris smiled. "We're all meeting after the show tomorrow night in the parking lot around 8:00, just in case I don't see you before then."  
  
"I'll be there." Rob said as he put his set of dumbbells on the floor.   
  
* * *  
  
Chris was the only one left in the locker room Sunday evening after the show. He had been on the phone, coordinating the meeting with Kurt, Adam, Trish and Matt in the parking lot of the arena. They were all staying at the same hotel in San Francisco, but they were driving in from a house show in a different town. Chris was excited about seeing Dwayne. They were good friends and spoke often, but they hadn't seen each other since Summerslam.  
  
With a sigh, Chris picked up his bag and made his way out of the locker room. He wasn't sure which was the quickest way to the parking lot so he turned down a long corridor that was lined with offices and various rooms on either side. He heard voices as he walked down the corridor. Slowing down he recognized Paul's voice.   
  
"Don't give me that shit!" Paul's voice bellowed from behind a closed door somewhere.   
  
"I can't take this anymore!" a woman shouted. Chris heard a door unlatch, so he ducked through an open doorway into a darkened room. A moment later, he heard a door slam forcefully followed by quick footsteps. Peering out, Chris saw Stephanie trotting down the corridor. He winced as she slammed her body into the fire exit and literally ran out of the building. Chris was concerned for a moment, but figured she'd be all right.  
  
Stepping back into the hall, Chris walked towards the exit where Stephanie had just gone. He slowed as he passed the room where he perceived Paul to be. No sooner had he walked passed then Paul opened the door and stepped out of the room. Chris gave him a dirty look.  
  
"What the fuck are you looking at?" Paul grumbled, then turned and walked in the opposite direction. Chris couldn't stand the man. He couldn't wait to have another feud with him so he could smack him around a little.   
  
"Hey!" Trish shouted from inside a crowded minivan outside the arena. Chris smiled and waved as he walked over to it.  
  
"Everybody's here?" Chris asked. Trish nodded. He looked passed her and saw Adam in the driver's seat. "I'll follow you with my car." He said to Adam. Chris walked passed a few empty rows of parking spaces to his rental. Rob was leaning against it. "Give me a lift?" He said, sporting his dimples.  
  
Chris unlocked the doors. "Of course, hop in."  
  
Dwayne was waiting for them at La Cantina, a Mexican Restaurant not too far from the arena. After several minutes of hugging and play fighting, they all went inside. Dwayne had a habit of making a big deal about everything. That's how he did things. Instead of meeting his friends at some bar, he made reservations for them and had a room sectioned off so they would be able to hang out by themselves. Dwayne loved his fans, but since he was on such a tight schedule, he wanted to spend this free time he'd manage to get with his friends and only his friends.  
  
The room was small but cozy. Some appetizers were spread out on the table along with a menu of the evening's selections. Dwayne thanked everybody for showing up and apologized for wanting to make more money than anyone there does. They all burst into laughter; some threw crumpled napkins at him. As the waitress took their orders, Kurt disappeared. He came back a moment later with a bottle of tequila. He held it over his head proudly.   
  
"Let the games begin!" He shouted.  
  
* * *  
  
Chris was glad that Rob had come along. He wasn't smashed, but he was no condition to drive. Rob had been nice enough to drive him back to the hotel. Chris knew that Rob had held on to the car keys when he left Chris in the lobby of the hotel. He smiled to himself, knowing that Rob was looking out for him.  
  
Not ready for the night to end, Chris wandered into the bar/restaurant on the second floor of the hotel. It was open until 2AM so he figured he'd stop in and have a few more drinks. At least he wasn't thinking about Jessica for the moment. He sat at the bar and ordered a drink. Stephanie was sitting halfway down the bar, staring off into space.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Chris asked as he made his way over to her.  
  
Stephanie scowled at him. "What, a girl can't have a drink anymore?" He could tell she had been there for a while. He looked at the empty seat next to her. She waived her hand at him in a dismissing manner so he sat down.  
  
They didn't speak at first. He watched her tapping her nails on the bar. It was starting to grate on his nerves. He reached out and firmly put his hand on hers.  
  
"Stop that." He demanded.  
  
She gave him a dirty look and then they both burst out laughing. "Ugh." She sighed as she folded her arms and leaned them on the bar. "I just want to go home." She mumbled as she placed her forehead on her arm.  
  
Chris sipped his drink. "What's going on, if you don't mind me asking'?"  
  
Stephanie took a deep breath and reached for her purse. After rifling through it, she pulled out a piece of hotel stationary.  
  
It read: "I'm heading out of here early and I'm taking the car. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
Chris read it and looked back at her, confused. "I found that on the bed in my room when I got here earlier." She snatched it out of Chris' hand and crumpled it up. "Bastard left me stranded here!"  
  
Chris couldn't help but choke back a giggle at first. Stephanie had a lot of money, so it wasn't like she was really stranded. He tried to remain serious, she was obviously really angry.  
  
"Where'd he go?" Chris asked politely, fiddling with his stirrer.  
  
Stephanie held her drink in her hand, staring at it blindly as she swirled the liquid inside the glass. "I don't know." 


	8. No more tequila

** I do not own any of the following characters. They are owned by or affiliated with WWE.**  
  
  
Author's note: Thanks so much for the reviews... DC, thank you for following my story faithfully! Sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted the story to progress AND enjoy the holiday weekend.....Enjoy!  
  
* * *  
  
They drank in silence, each watching the television with feigned interest. It didn't bother him that she didn't want to talk about her problems, but he wasn't leaving her alone. Somehow, he felt that she needed him to stay, but damned if he knew why. He slowly sipped his drink, wondering where Paul had run off to.  
  
After another round, Chris was quite drunk. It felt good. His head was swimming and he couldn't concentrate much on anything even if he wanted to. He did notice, however, that Stephanie's posture had changed. He knew she was drunk as well, but the atmosphere was suddenly different. She had been sitting with her back slightly to him, facing the television. He leaned over the bar slightly to see her face. He noticed that her eyes were closed, and her cheeks were wet with tears. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach.   
  
"Steph," Chris said in a low voice, leaning closer to her. "Are you ok?"   
  
Stephanie turned her back to him completely. Her shoulders shuddered as she sobbed silently. Chris got up and walked over to the seat on the opposite side of her. "Steph..." his voice trailed off as he watched her wipe her eyes.   
  
"I'll be fine." She said, trying to act like she was okay. "Don't worry about me." Chris reached out and put his hand on her shoulder again. She shrugged it off and gave him a mean look. "Just...just leave me alone." She grumbled, turning away from him.  
  
Chris took a deep breath. "Look, I am not leaving you alone here, crying at the bar."   
  
Steph closed her eyes and shook her head. She wanted him to go away and let her drink until she passed out. She was tired of thinking. He stood up and gripped her gently by the arm. "I think it's time to go. " He said. Stephanie pulled her arm out of his grasp. Looking at her drink, which was almost empty, she realized that he was right. It was time for her to go. She should have left a long time ago. She stood up and swayed slightly. Chris helped to steady her.  
  
"I'll walk you to your room, ok?" Chris said as he collected his change from the bar. She nodded and leaned against the chair. He could barely stand himself, but was determined to make sure that she got to her room in one piece.  
  
They walked down the hallway towards the elevator bank, arms locked together, trying desperately to stay on course. Once inside the elevator, Chris leaned Stephanie against the wall and pressed the button for the fifth floor. As the doors slid shut, he put his hand against the wall and rested his head on his forearm. A dull pounding had started within his head.   
  
"You all right?" Stephanie asked, reaching her arm out and rubbing Chris' shoulder. Instinctively, he reached behind him, took her by the arm and pulled her next him. The door slid open as he pulled her along with him, stepping off the elevator. She dug into her purse looking for her room card.   
  
"Here." She said, handing it to him finally. Chris fumbled with the key card, not able to get it into the slot the first two times he tried. Stephanie slipped her arm around his waist and leaned against him. "I need to lie down." She mumbled burying her face against his shoulder.  
  
In unison, they stumbled into her hotel room after he managed to unlock the door. He closed the door behind them with his foot as they slowly walked towards the bed. He tilted his body towards her, gently letting her slide out of his arms onto the bed. He stood over her for a moment then disappeared into the bathroom.   
  
Chris looked at himself in the mirror as he washed his hands. "Damn." He mumbled to himself, squinting at the fluorescent light that glared at him from above the mirror. He took a sip from the faucet then splashed cold water on his face. He needed to make it back to his room without passing out.  
  
When he emerged from the bathroom, he found Stephanie curled up on her side in the center of the bed. He sat down next to her. She breathed uneasily and furrowed her brow, but she was asleep. Chris leaned towards her and gently removed the wisps of hair that clung greedily to her damp cheeks. 'Poor thing', he thought to himself.   
  
The throbbing inside his head persisted. He turned his back to Stephanie and rested his elbows on his knees. He knew he shouldn't have had all of those shots earlier in the evening. He massaged his temples with his fingertips, only making the throbbing worse. It bothered him that she'd had so much to drink. He didn't think it was like her to do that. He was glad she was sleeping now. In his drunken state, he didn't think he could stand to see her cry again.   
  
Darkness seeped into his vision as sleep threatened to claim him. He wanted to go back to his own room. He willed himself to stand up, but didn't have the energy to do so. He kept visualizing himself getting up, going to the door and going to his own room. Instead, he leaned sideways and rested his pounding head on the bed. Before he could bring himself to sit back up, he passed out.  
  
* * *  
  
Stephanie leaned against the headboard with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Maybe she had pushed him over the edge this time. They'd always fought, but never like yesterday. She remembered crying a lot last night, after she found the note. Was it because she thought he was leaving her for good? No, that would have been a relief. She cried because she was unhappy with Paul and had been for a long time. It was her fault though; she knew that she had brought this upon herself.  
  
Chris slowly started to wake up. He had been stretched out on his side, lying near the edge of the bed the entire night. He yawned as he slowly turned over onto his back. His eyes fluttered open and focused on the ceiling. "Shit." He grumbled, putting one hand to his head. He lie there for a few minutes, not moving. "No more tequila." He mumbled to himself. Suddenly, he reached down between his legs and quickly scratched himself. Stephanie burst out laughing.  
  
Chris gasped, suddenly realizing where he was. He sat straight up and turned around, only to find a giggling Stephanie. He smiled sheepishly at her, blushing slightly.  
  
"Real classy!" She teased, her laugh fading into a giggle. Chris sighed and looked towards the alarm clock. It was nine o'clock. He had to leave for Vegas.  
  
"I'm sorry..." He said apologetically. "I didn't mean to pass out in here last night."  
  
"It's ok." she said. "I probably wouldn't have made it back here on my own."  
  
"No problem." was all he could say. His head was splitting again. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath hoping to make it go away. The faint smell of her perfume managed to tickle his nose, startling him. He opened his eyes immediately and looked back over at her. She was biting her lower lip and staring at him.  
  
"I'm sorry you had to see me like that.... the way I was last night." Stephanie said, hanging her head a bit.  
  
"It happens to the best of us." Chris said. "I wasn't exactly sober myself."   
  
She sighed and looked down at her hands. "I don't usually drink that much..."  
  
Chris was surprised at her sudden lack of confidence. Stephanie had always given an air of absolute confidence no matter the situation was. "You seemed pretty upset last night."  
  
"I was." Chris watched her tug on a piece of string that hung from her blouse. She hadn't changed her clothes yet. "I'll be fine though." She gave him a forced smile. They both felt a little uncomfortable.  
  
Chris stood up and stretched. "I'm gonna get going. I've got to get my stuff and head out to Vegas."  
  
Stephanie eyes opened wide for a moment then she sulked against the headboard. She'd almost forgotten about the long drive to Vegas. "Dammit." She said through gritted teeth. Chris remembered that Paul had taken their rental yesterday.  
  
"Steph?" She looked up at him, annoyed. "You can ride with Jay and me if you want. There's plenty of room."  
  
Stephanie's eyes softened. "I don't want to impose..."  
  
"I insist, c'mon. We're both jackasses, it'll be fun." Chris smiled brightly at her, thinking maybe he could cheer her up.  
  
"Ok." She agreed, somewhat reluctantly. Chris bolted towards the door and was halfway out when she called out to him. "Chris?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks." He nodded with a smile and softly closed the door behind him.  
  
* * *  
  
"He left?" Chris asked, confused.  
  
"Yeah, he caught a ride with Glen and Jeff." Rob said, as he handed his key card to the man behind the counter.  
  
Chris shook his head in disbelief. "I told him I'd meet him down here at ten thirty."  
  
Rob shrugged. "Here's your keys man." Rob dropped them onto the counter top. "You ok this morning?"  
  
Chris nodded. "Yeah, just a bit of a headache." Rob smiled and nudged Chris' shoulder with his fist. "Thanks again for watching my back last night."  
  
"Anytime, man." Rob turned his head when he saw Tommy pull up outside the hotel.   
  
"Well, I'm outta here. See ya later." Rob took his bag and disappeared through the lobby.  
  
Stephanie approached the counter as Chris finished checking himself out. "Hey." He said as he greeted her. She looked much better now than she had when he'd woken up this morning.  
  
"Ready?" she asked looking around. "Where's Jay?"  
  
"He ditched me." Chris said disconcertedly. "Looks like it's just me and you."  
  
* * * 


	9. The road to discovery

** I do not own any of the following characters. They are owned by or affiliated with WWE.**  
  
Author's Note: I apologize for the extensive delay in updating this story. My creative energies have gotten the best of me lately and have pushed me in an entirely different direction, which is why I had to put this story on the side for a little while. I love the storyline I've got going here and the last thing I want to do is a half-assed job. I hope the rest of this story will live up to the first few chapters, as well as my "other" fic. At some point, I will re-post this fic under my other pen name. So, if you can't find this story anywhere, check for it under "Lady Charlotte"... Enjoy!   
  
* * *  
  
"What's really going on?" Jeff asked from the back seat. He could see that Jason hadn't been his usually joking self and seemed particularly edgy whenever Chris was around.   
  
"What do you mean?" Jason asked innocently.  
  
"Well, you and Chris don't exactly hang out a lot anymore..." Glen chimed in.  
  
Jason looked over at the huge man in the driver's seat. "It's nothing, really."  
  
"Must be something for you to ask me for a ride." Glen said, giving Jason a stern look.  
  
"What was I supposed to do?" Jason said, slightly detached. "He wasn't in his room this morning when I went to get him, so I figured he left without me."  
  
Jeff wasn't buying it. He knew that Chris would never be up before 9AM. "Did you guys have a fight or somethin'?"  
  
Jason sighed aloud. "NO, okay? Everything is just fine..." Jason leaned his head against the window and stared out at the desert. Jason was getting a headache. All he wanted was peace and quiet. He'd hardly been sleeping lately, having been kept awake at night thinking about his friendship with Chris. He knew that he'd been pushing Chris away lately and rightfully so. It would serve to lesson the pain he'd feel when Chris found out the truth and ended their friendship. Jason ran his hand through his hair as he stared out into the distance. Jason cursed himself for being so insecure. Why did he have to do this to one of his closest friends?  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Jeff asked suddenly, startling Jason. Jason let out a long sigh, knowing that he wasn't going to be left alone.  
  
"If you must know," Jason grumbled, "I was thinking about Chris."  
  
Glen made eye contact with Jeff through the rearview mirror. They exchanged thoughts for a moment. "What about Chris?" Glen asked.  
Jason hesitated, but felt he might as well get at least some of it off of his chest. "I did something that I'm not really proud of... and when Chris finds out, he's going to hate me."  
  
"What happened?" Glen asked, keeping his eyes on the road ahead of him.  
  
"It doesn't matter now." Jason said sadly. "I was only thinking about myself... I should've thought about how it would effect Chris, not just me." Jason slouched under his seatbelt.  
  
"You guys are good friends, right?" Jason nodded. "I'm sure if you talk to him about whatever it is, he'll understand." Glen said confidently.  
  
"He might understand eventually, but I doubt he'd forgive me." Jason grumbled.  
  
"If this is about..." Jeff's voice trailed off, his words hanging in the air like a death sentence. Jason turned slightly and met Jeff's eyes with a worried stare. "Then maybe staying away from Chris right now isn't such a bad idea." Jeff concluded, giving Jason's shoulder a gentle squeeze before he sat back in his seat. Jason turned around and looked back at Jeff, acknowledging the fact that Jeff did know what he was talking about.  
  
"When he finds out that I had more influence over his future than he did, he's gonna kill me." Jason said sadly. He knew that Chris wasn't the type to fly off the handle and lose control of his temper very often, but he had seen him lose it with Paul backstage once. Jason's stomach cringed as he recalled the distorted image of Chris' face as Chris shoved Paul against the wall. Jason had been convinced that if Vince hadn't intervened, Chris might have seriously hurt Paul.  
  
Jeff fixed the bandanna that was snugly wrapped around his head. He looked up at Jason, knowing that he was thinking about the time Chris had lost control and attacked Paul. No one had ever taken Chris seriously before that. "I know." Jeff said in a low voice. Poor, stupid Jay. Chris was going to hurt him and they both knew it.  
  
** *  
  
Stephanie sat in the passenger seat while Chris was filling up the gas tank. So far, she was enjoying the drive to Vegas. They had listened to CDs from Chris' collection and reminisced about childhood cartoons and television shows. It had been fun. She smiled to herself, thinking of how Chris had given her some sort of history behind almost every song that he put on. She was impressed by his musical knowledge and was equally impressed with his storytelling skills. She'd learned quite a bit about him during the drive and realized that she had really warmed up to him.   
  
After stopping in the gas station, Chris had brushed his fingers against the side of her thigh when he shifted the car into park. He hadn't done it deliberately as the gear shift was located between their seats. She wasn't even sure that he'd noticed. Nevertheless, the brief contact had given her butterflies. Goosebumps eruupted on her skin as she thought about it.  
Turning to the window, she studied Chris. He was leaning against the car, putting the gas cap back in place. A few loose strands of blonde hair dangled in front of his mirrored sunglasses, having made their way out of his ponytail. The sun danced on his lightly tanned skin, accentuating his muscular arms and reflecting off the tiny beads of sweat that had formed just above his full, pink lips. He looked incredibly sexy.   
  
Stephanie had always included Chris on her mental list of "hot" wrestlers, but had never really thought about getting to know him. Aside from the fact that Chris had signed with company around the time that she and Paul had gotten involved, Chris had been engaged to Jessica. Things were very different now, and Stephanie found herself wondering if Chris had been intimate with anyone since he and Jessica had split up.  
  
Chris grabbed a squeegee and hummed happily to himself as he wiped away the light brown dust that had accumulated on the windshield. Chris had been such a gentleman when he'd helped her to his room last night. She was grateful that he hadn't tried anything on her but why would he? Stephanie was quite positive that Chris wasn't attracted to her in that regard. Stephanie just wasn't his type. She wasn't a petite, graceful blonde. She was a tall, clumsy brunette. Even if she was available, he would never be interested in her.  
  
Suddenly, she recalled Chris gently pulling her close to him while they were on the elevator the night before. It felt good having his arm around her waist...but then she remembered something else that had felt even better.. his fingertips had found their way to the exposed skin just above the waistband of her pants and there, they traced light circles into her flesh.. Had she imagined it? Even if she hadn't, Chris had been drunk so he probably had no idea what he was doing. After all, if he was interested in her, wouldn't he have made a move on her once they got to her room?  
  
Lost in her thoughts, Stephanie hadn't noticed that Chris had dropped the squeegee back in its bucket then disappeared. She looked around hesitantly for a moment, then saw him emerging from the mini mart with a grin on his face. He carried a bag with him as he walked back to the car.  
  
"What'd ya buy me?" she asked, full of enthusiasm.  
  
"Let's see..." Chris teased as he settled into the driver's seat. "We've got Sour Cream 'N Onion Pringles _a necessary item on ANY road trip_" he said in a deep voice, causing her to giggle. "Pretzels, some pop and some water. Take your pick my lady."  
  
Stephanie sat there, mouth agape.   
  
"What?" Chris asked, holding the now open can of Pringles in one hand and a bottle of Pepsi in the other.  
  
"Did you say, POP?" She looked at him questioningly.  
  
"Um..yeah, that's what this is." Chris held the bottle of Pepsi directly in front of her face. "POP." He made a face before giggling. "I forgot you guys call it soda or whatever. Pop is a Canadian/Midwestern thing."  
  
"Pop..." Stephanie laughed, thinking of how strange it sounded to her. She honestly hadn't heard that expression before. She grabbed the bottle from him. "Thanks for the POP, Chris." she said teasingly.  
  
"Your welcome... PRINCESS." he said, stressing the 's'. Stephanie stopped laughing and looked at him with a darkened expression. She hated being called princess... Paul usually called her by that name.  
  
"Please don't call me that. I can't stand it."  
  
The lightheartedness that had filled the car throughout the first leg of their trip suddenly disappeared. Chris felt like putting his foot in his mouth. He had only been teasing her, he didn't think she'd get offended by it. He rested the Pringles next to his seat and started the engine.  
  
They rode in silence, neither of them putting any music on.. Stephanie stared out the window consumed with thoughts of Paul. She needed to break it off with him once and for all. He probably wouldn't care on way or another because he had never gave her any indication that he loved her. That, and he had already climbed to the top of the company and remained there. She wished that she could say that she'd miss him once they split up, but aside from their lusty encounters, there wasn't much for her to miss. She sighed heavily and turned her head, only to catch Chris looking at her.   
  
Chris felt bad because he hadn't meant to make her upset. He kept glancing over at her, hoping that she'd say something. Anything.  
  
"I'm not mad at you." She said finally, much to his relief. "It's just when you called me princess... it immediately made me think of Paul."  
  
"Paul is a princess? I should've known." Chris smiled at her, trying to lighten her mood.   
  
Stephanie chuckled a little. "No, silly. Princess is his pet name for me."  
  
"Oh....sorry."  
  
Stephanie patted Chris' arm. "Don't worry about it." She mumbled. The feel of her touch lingered on his arm long after she rested both of her hands on her lap.  
  
'Princess', he thought. In Chris' eyes, Stephanie was a princess. She was after all, an heir to the McMahon empire. She was pretty too and weren't princesses supposed to be pretty? He wondered why that nickname bothered her so much. As if reading his thoughts, Stephanie answered him almost immediately. "He usually says it to piss me off and to remind me of who I am."  
  
"And you are...?" Chris asked bluntly.  
  
"A McMahon of course." She sighed and leaned back in her seat. "It's like... he always makes me feel like the only thing I have going for me is a powerful name."   
  
Chris could not believe his ears. "You know that's not true." Chris said reassuringly. "You've got a lot going for ya. You're really smart and you're good at what you do."  
  
"Yeah ok, "Stephanie said sarcastically, "I'm SO good at what I do that no one likes the current storylines. Great way to do business!" Stephanie turned her head to face the window. "Everyone thinks that since I'm the head writer it's my fault that business is taking a downturn... including Paul."  
  
Chris shrugged. "I know that you're in charge of creative, but come on. You're not the only writer back there... I know that the majority of the stuff we get to work with doesn't come from you, not to mention that Vince has the last word on what gets used and what doesn't." Chris held his breath and waited. After a long silence, he looked over at her.  
  
"Thank you for understanding." She said, smiling genuinely. A great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She'd been chided by so many people lately that she'd started to believe that maybe they were right. Maybe the downturn in business was her fault. Yet...Chris knew what everyone else did when it came to backstage politics and he still gave her the benefit of the doubt. It meant a lot to her.  
  
"You're welcome." Chris reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She looked down at their hands and smiled. She squeezed his hand in return then wound her fingers through his.   
  
A comfortable silence enveloped them as he drove towards their destination. The back of his right hand rested casually on Stephanie's thigh; their fingers still intertwined. She hadn't moved her hand and he didn't want her to; he was absorbed in the subtle electric current that coursed between them. Chris acted as if holding her hand was not a big deal to him when in fact, it was. When she'd squeezed his hand earlier, he pretended not to notice. He didn't want her to know that it had sent a warm shiver through him; a shiver he hadn't felt in a long time. That one gesture had awoken something within him that he'd thought he'd buried... and he wanted more of it.  
  
* * * 


	10. Somewhere along the way

** I don't own any of the following characters. The characters are owned by WWE, Inc. and the  
real people's true identities are their own.**  
  
Author's Note: Jetderk...thank you for reading and reviewing my story!! I am honored! I've read  
your stuff and I LOVE it! Thanks go out to everyone for their reviews... please keep 'em coming!  
  
* * *  
  
Paul had gotten to Vegas before any of the other wrestlers. After a short workout, he had a quiet  
lunch and decided to head out to the arena a little earlier than usual. He didn't feel like waiting  
around for Stephanie to arrive at the hotel. He knew she'd be pissed off about having to rent  
another car and drive in by herself.  
  
As he drove to the arena, he started wondering what had gone wrong in their relationship. They  
never did anything together that didn't involve work. Actually, they had never really done much  
of anything together, but that was mainly his fault. He'd kept her at arms length when it came to  
fully including her in his life because he needed to remain in control. With Stephanie, it was all  
too easy to lose himself entirely.   
  
He had never told her that he loved her. Not even once. Paul could never bring himself to do it  
for that would mean he'd have to admit that she had power over him. And power meant control.  
Maybe if he had told her the truth, they wouldn't have grown so far apart. Sure, they still had  
incredible sex, but there was no emotion in it at all and it hurt him that she could detach herself  
like that. Women weren't supposed to be capable of having sex just for the sake of having it.   
They were supposed to cling to you and smother you to the point where you had to push them  
away - but Stephanie wasn't like that at all.   
  
Stephanie was like fire and ice. One minute she was cold and aloof; the next she could be the  
most affectionate person in the world. Sometimes, she even had him convinced that she really  
cared about him... but she had never told him that she loved him either. At one time, he was  
going to tell her how he felt; but he was afraid she'd reject him.   
  
Lately, they hadn't been spending much time together. When they did, they almost always ended  
up fighting and the fights were getting worse. He spent most of his spare time pursuing his own  
interests and had even started going out after the shows without her. This enraged her to the point  
where he'd return to the hotel only to find out that she'd checked herself into a separate room.   
  
The distance between them had been growing steadily and he wondered how long it would be  
before she wanted to leave him. Deep down, Paul wanted nothing more than to cross the  
expanse that divided them and draw her to him. He wanted her to love him again, if she ever had  
in the first place. Yet, instead of trying to bridge the gap between them, he widened it. Last night  
he had taken it too far and he knew it.   
  
Paul sighed heavily and felt guilty for having kept his whereabouts from her. He didn't know  
how she'd react if he'd told her the truth. She'd probably go off the deep end and he hadn't  
wanted to deal with that. He still didn't. The last thing he wanted was to hear that shrill voice  
piercing through his skull. As much as he wanted to try to hold things together, he was  
finding it increasingly difficult to stomach her outbursts.  
  
The worse thing about all of this was that Stephanie was exactly the kind of woman that he  
wanted. She was power hungry, knew what she wanted and was determined to get it. She  
also wouldn't take much shit from anyone - especially him. He loved that about her. Joanie,  
despite her outward appearance, had been too passive for him. She never fought back and pretty  
much let him do whatever he wanted. Stephanie was feisty and he craved her attention. She had a  
set of brass balls and could be very dominant, which was an incredible turn on for him.   
  
It pissed him off that lately, Stephanie seemed to be going soft. She just didn't seem to care one  
way or the other and that bothered him. He was sure that Stephanie wasn't cheating on him; at  
least he liked to believe that she wasn't. She was too honest and straightforward for that.  
Nonetheless, he did wonder about it sometimes.  
  
Paul had seriously considered ending their relationship several times, but couldn't bring himself  
to do it. He just wasn't ready to leave her. A small part of it was due to the fact that she was a  
McMahon, but that wasn't what kept him around. He couldn't imagine his life without her  
because somewhere along the way, he'd fallen in love with her.  
  
* * *   
Stephanie and Chris sat in silence once they'd arrived in the hotel parking lot. There was no  
awkwardness between them, but something had changed. They could both feel it. Chris removed  
his sunglasses and placed them on the dashboard before turning to face her.  
  
"Thanks for letting me bum a ride." Stephanie said, smiling gratefully. She absentmindedly  
wrung her hands before letting them settle on top of her purse.  
  
"Anytime, Steph." He stated honestly. They looked at each other for a long moment before he  
mustered the courage to say what was on his mind. "I really enjoyed your company."  
  
Stephanie looked away from him as she smiled sheepishly. She felt like a schoolgirl. Since when  
did she become so shy? Chris was looking at her differently for some reason and it made her  
nervous - but it was a good kind of nervous. "Me too." She blurted out. Had she just said that?  
  
Chris smiled and took the keys out of the ignition. "C'mon, I'll help you with your stuff." He got  
out of the car first and headed for the trunk. Stephanie took a deep breath and grabbed the door  
handle. She felt the dread wash over her as she realized she had to go back to work - and Paul.  
How nice the last few hours had been. She was able to be herself around Chris and she liked it a  
lot. There was no hostility, no hidden meaning behind their words... she had forgotten what it  
was like to be so comfortable with someone.  
  
They unloaded the trunk of the car together and carried everything into the lobby of the hotel.  
Once they had both checked in, Stephanie stood in front of him and asked him if he'd like to  
grab a bite to eat with her before they had to leave for the arena.  
  
"I don't know Steph..." Chris said hesitantly. He really wanted to spend more time with her, but  
he knew that he shouldn't. "I should probably get in a quick work out before the show."  
  
"Oh, ok." Stephanie frowned. "I guess I'll see you backstage then?"  
  
Chris stood there for a moment, noticing that she was disappointed. He stuffed one of his hands  
into the pocket of his jeans and smiled innocently. "Most definitely." He said, nonchalantly  
tucking a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear with his free hand. He could feel the  
warmth emanating from her skin as his fingertips brushed against her cheek. Stephanie blushed  
in response.  
  
"Thanks again." She said, looking at him but not making any eye contact.   
  
"Sure." Chris said with a bright smile. "I'll see you later." He turned away from her and headed  
towards the elevator. He could feel her gaze burning into his back as he walked down the  
corridor. He quickened his pace then waited impatiently for the elevator, not once glancing in  
Stephanie's direction. He needed to get to the gym and soon. An intense workout would be the  
perfect outlet for all of the energy that had suddenly accumulated.   
  
Chris had never felt like this towards Stephanie before and it was unnerving to say the least. He  
had always thought that she was very pretty but he'd been so wrapped up in Jessica that he'd  
never allowed the true nature of their chemistry to fully register. Well... that wasn't entirely true.  
He couldn't recall their first scripted kiss, but he did remember the second one. He remembered  
it all too well. She had kissed him back that time, sending a bolt of electricity straight through  
him. He had dismissed his stiffened reaction as him just being horny since he hadn't seen his  
wife in a while - but that was obviously not the reason.  
  
It had been years since he'd been with anyone other than Jessica. He'd had many opportunities  
since she moved out, he just couldn't alleviate the feelings of guilt that would arise. Chris knew  
that his marriage was over; the papers had been filed over a month ago. However, he still loved  
Jessica and hadn't been comfortable with the idea of being with someone else. He knew he'd  
have to move on and that eventually, someone would break through his defenses and literally  
peak his interest again. Never in a million years did he ever think that woman would be  
Stephanie McMahon. The slightest amount of contact between them had been enough to cause  
that familiar burning in the pit of his stomach. He thought only Jessica had been capable of doing  
that to him. It scared him a little.  
  
Chris entered his room and changed into a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. The workout would do  
him good as he hadn't hit the gym all weekend. He wondered if Paul would be there. He was the  
last person he wanted to bump into right now. He never liked him much to begin with and in his  
own opinion, Paul was an asshole. Chris grabbed his room key and a towel then headed towards  
the gym room.   
  
He decided that he wasn't going to pursue this. Chris was not afraid of Paul in the least, but he  
knew that lusting after another man's woman was wrong. He convinced himself that this sudden  
attraction to Stephanie was due to the fact that he hadn't had sex in months. Just about any  
woman that touched him would have elicited the same reaction. Chris sat down on the bench and  
picked up a dumbbell. "Yeah right." he mumbled to himself. He knew damn well that he'd  
always been attracted to her, he'd just never been free to acknowledge it until now.  
  
* * * 


End file.
